Improvement in trusses



ICE,`

T. L. HOUGH, 0F PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

IMPROVEMENT ibi TRUSSES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. ''i, dated September 4, 1866..

To all 'whom it 'may concern:

Be it known that I, T. L. HOUGH, of Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Spring- Trusses; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making part of this specification, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, like letters indicating like parts wherever they occur.

To enable others skilled in the art to construct and use the invention I will proceed to describe it.

In spring-trusses it is desirable that the pad or pressing portion should be so arranged as to press upward as well as inward; and to accomplish this object a great many plans have been adopted, but while accomplishing the desired object in this respect they have proved deiicient in others. In most of the trusses heretofore made using a spring for this purpose, the spring has been so arranged that when the usual casing or covering is applied to the metallic baud of the truss the casing interferes with the free operation of the spring, while the spring, when located on the outside of the band, as in Vhites and similarI trusses, soon wears through the covering. The pressure of the casing and the clothing upon the spring also prevents the free action of the latter. Spiral springs are not found to operate well, and hence are seldom used.

The object of my invention is to use a 'liat metallic spring, and at the same time obviate the diiiiculties above mentioned.

In the drawings, Figure l is a front view, Figs. 2, 3, et, and 5 represent the details ofthe same, similar letters indicating like parts wherever they occur.

A represents the band or body of the truss, which may be made of suitable material in the usual manner.

C represents the pressure-pad, secured to an arm, B, which is pivoted upon a journal, a, protruding from one end of the band A.

D represents a shell or hub, composed of two disks united by a rim, t', which extends about two-thirds around, as shown in Fig. 4. The inner disk or side ofthe hub has a square hole, o, formed in it, as shown in Fig. 4, to lit upon the square portion or shoulder n of the journal a, so that when the hub D is shoved on the journal a it will be held rigid thereon. A Hat spring, m, is secured permanent-ly to the hub D and projects therefrom, as shown.

The arm B has its upper end made circular, as shown in Fig. 3, and ot' proper size to fit wit-hin the cavity of hub D, a hole being made in it, as shown in Fig. 3, to receive the journal n'.

A stirrup, c, is pivoted to the arm B in such a manner as to permit the end of spring m to be inserted within and held by it when the parts are united and placed in position, as shown in Fig. l. The end of arm B being inserted in the cavity of hub D, the end of the spring m resting under and being,held down by the stirrup C, the hub, with the end of the arm in it, is then slipped on to the journal a., whereitis secured by a pin, e, as shown in Fig. l. The hub is prevented from turning by the square shoulder n, which tits in the square hole 0, while the arm B, having a round hole and fitting on the round portion of the journal a., is free to move, and consequently will be drawn upward bythe action ot' spring m.

By these ine-ans I am enabled to produce a truss using a tlat spring so arranged as not to be interfered with by the casing or clothing, and that will not wear holes in them.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is- The combination of the hub D, spring m, arm B, and journal a, arranged to operate as and for the purpose herein set forth.

T. L. HOUGH.

Witnesses:

W. O. DODGE, HENRY B. SrArNEs. 

